1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to display devices and more particularly to a sleeve for the removable, temporary displaying of bumper stickers and related indicia on vehicles and the like.
The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for the displaying of bumper stickers and like items, the improvement including a system for adhering the display to the vehicle in a manner which is easily and reliably removed without leaving any residual adhesive, plastic or paper on the vehicle, and without damaging the paint of the vehicle.
Further, the present invention provides, an improved system for the displaying of a variety of different bumper stickers or the like, allowing the easy removal and changing of the display without the need for utilizing the adhesives as is commonly found on the back of bumper stickers or the like, making installation and removable easier and less destructive to the surface on which it is mounted.
The present invention provides an inexpensive, easily installed, low maintenance, yet an effective and reliable system for removably displaying a variety of indicia on smooth surfaces, particularly vehicles.
2. Prior Art & General Background
While the prior art is replete with a variety of display devices for removably displaying indicia which might include bumper stickers and such, it nonetheless fails to teach a practical display system for use with vehicles in the like which is easily installed and reliably removable without leaving damage or residual paper, plastic or adhesive on the vehicle.
A list of prior patents which may be of interest is presented below:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 4,756,106 Foster, P. 07/12/1988 4,736,539 Dickenson, N. 04/12/1988 4,453,328 Connolly, J. 06/12/1984 4,305,216 Skelton, S. 12/15/1981 4,146,709 Selleslags, F. 01/27/1981 3,826,026 Bevan, B. 07/30/1974 3,553,865 Jones, C. 01/12/1971 2,925,675 Lumpkin, F. 02/23/1960 2,110,768 Kellogg, G. 03/08/1938 1,842,744 Bronner, F. 01/26/1932 1,836,154 Cobbs, A. 12/15/1931 ______________________________________
While all of the above patents teach indicia display holders for certificates, signs, and even bumper stickers and such, none contemplate an effective system specifically designed for application on vehicles and the like in a manner which may be easily installed and removed without the need for tools or the significant risk of tearing the display or its holder and without damaging the application surface.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,026 to Bevan, simply entitled "Display Device" teaches a sleeve for signs and such which is magnetically mounted to the vehicle. The manner of mounting contemplated by the '026 reference is not optimal, as the system is too easily removed from the system, and may fall off the vehicle when in motion or may be stolen when parked. Secondly, the system, with its magnetic mounting, may slide on the mounting surface, scratching it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,328 entitled "Bumper Sticker Holder" to Connoly teaches a display device for autos and the like having a "mounting element adapted for attachment to a bumper by adhesive and mounting a holder element in adjustable pivotal position . . . ." This reference, while providing a means for interchangeably mounting various indicia, does not overcome the problem of removal of the system itself from the vehicle. For example, the system of '328 teaches a rather cumbersome and heavy pivotal frame system which is adhesively mounted.
The use of the adhesive provides a dual dilemma, i.e. too much adhesive for mounting the system will make it unremovable, or damage the paint or finish of the mounting surface during removal, while too little adhesive or a weaker adhesive will be insufficient to support the '328 system as configured.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,539 to Dickenson discloses a "Bumper Sticker Holder" comprising a base and a frame member, the base member being attached to the mounting surface via pop rivets (32), which permanently disfigure the mounting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,106 to Foster teaches a "vehicle Message Holder", again teaching a "message holder for displaying interchangeable bumper sticker-type messages on a vehicle" utilizing a plurality of adhesive pads to adhere a frame-type case to the mounting surface. Utilization of the adhesive retaining means in the '106 reference as configured presents the same problems as addressed in the '328 patent, above.
3. General, Summary Discussion of the Invention
As may be discerned by a review of the above, the prior art, while teaching the general concept of a bumper sticker holder or the like, nonetheless fails to teach a design which is practical and does not cause damage to the surface to which it is applied.
The present invention overcomes these prior art problems by providing a system which reliably, economically and cost effectively allows the interchangeable display of a variety of bumper stickers or like indicia without damaging the mounting surface, while providing for easy installation and reliable removal when desired. Of course, in addition to the use of pre-printed bumper stickers and the like, the exchangeable sleeve design of the invention also allows the use of customized or hand printed signs and/or designs. As is well known, such items typically include indicia presented on a flat piece of material.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention, as configured, are comprised of a flexible material such as polyethylene, vinyl, or the like, and have a rectangular base member which is "hingedly" or foldingly affixed along one edge to a like configured, rectangular sleeve or frame member, having in effect an accordion-like fold between them. Further, the base member's front face and the frame member's rear face of the fold are adhered together by means of an adhesive for additional support but which faces can be relatively easily pulled apart in a removal operation.
The frame member includes a transparent face with, for example, a "zipper" on one side (e.g. the top) to allow for access to the interior of the sleeve for the emplacement of a possible variety of indicia, including, for example, bumper stickers, cards, hand-made signs, etc. The "zipper" is preferably in the form of, for example, a plastic or rubber sliding, slot fastener with a plastic or rubber head or the like, as used on plastic, zippered folders and such. This type of zipper is relatively water resistant, protecting the displayed item from the elements.
After the device has been adhered to, for example, a bumper, with the faces of the base and frame members adhered together, the device is removed preferably by grasping the edge of the frame member opposite or distal to the connecting "hinge" edge of the fold with the base member and slowly pulling it from the mounting surface, releasing the adhesive interface connection between the base and the frame member, temporarily leaving the base still adhered to the bumper. When the faces of the two members have been pulled apart, leaving only the edge connection between them, one merely further grasps the sleeve or frame member and continues to carefully pulls on it back in the opposite direction, using the frame member as a "handle", which then causes the base member by means of the edge "hinge" interconnection to be pulled from the mounting surface reliably and cleanly and without damage to the vehicle.
This always-available "handle" action is in contrast with the removal of, for example, a bumper sticker, in which the edge portion is often torn off in the removal process, making the removal of the remainder of the sticker that much more difficult. Thus, in the invention, the flexible frame member can be used effectively as a handle in the process of completely removing the display device.
An alternative utilization of the present invention provides for the addition of tabs affixed to the rear face of the base member by, for example, adhesion or integral formation. The tabs are configured to hold, for example, suction cups for mounting the display device onto, for example, the interior side of the automobile window so that the display can be viewed through he rear window.
Thus, the improved system in its preferred embodiment utilizes a flexible, zippered sleeve or envelope with a transparent front, with the display item (e.g. a bumper strip) being inserted into the sleeve through the zippered edge, which is thereafter zippered closed. The back of the system includes in effect an accordion-type fold, in which the fold sides are adhered together during use of the display device.
In the display device process, when its use is no longer desired, the forward fold carrying the sleeve structure is initially pulled away from the rear fold, with the forward fold then being effectively used as a gripping handle to reliably remove the rear fold part from the vehicle surface without any significant tearing of the flexible display item.
In an alternative embodiment (FIG. 4) suction cup tabs are provided to affix the display device to, for example, the rear window of the vehicle using the suction cups. To remove it, the suction of the suction cups is "broken."
The present invention thus provides an inexpensive, easily installed, low maintenance, yet effective system for removably displaying a variety of indicia on smooth surfaces, particularly on vehicles.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an indicia display system which is mountable on a variety of smooth surfaces and is configured to be easily and reliably removable without damaging the surfaces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an indicia display system which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an indicia display system which may be configured to display a variety of devices, while protecting them from the elements.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an indicia display system which may in the alternative be used in conjunction with supporting and displaying indicia on the interior side of a rear window or the like, for displaying the indicia through the window to the outside.